Unit 13 is SOCOM dev's Vita launch game

Unit 13 is a new PlayStation Vita launch game, announced today, that doesn't stray far from Zipper's SOCOM roots.

Zipper Interactive has been fairly quiet since the release of SOCOM 4. It appears the team was working on a brand new military shooter, this time for Sony's new Vita handheld. Unit 13 is a new launch game, announced today, that doesn't stray far from Zipper's roots. The military third-person shooter takes advantage of the Vita's dual analog sticks, and promises to utilize the front and rear touch panels for a "unique and fun way to interact quickly" with the world.

Unit 13 is focused on providing a smaller experience for on-the-go gameplay. "Missions come in a variety of sizes and difficulty," the PlayStation.Blog details. "Some are smaller bite-sized battles; others are longer, more challenging, multi-objective missions that are a good test for any skilled shooter fan."

Unlike SOCOM and MAG, Unit 13 doesn't have competitive multiplayer. Instead, it will feature a co-op mode. Unit 13's primary online functionality appears to be leaderboards, and new "Daily Challenge" content. In addition, the game utilizes Vita's NEAR functionality to transfer new "high value target" challenges.

A release date hasn't been set, but Zipper will have to ship the game by February to make the Vita launch window.